


Foxtrot

by hhike



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-27
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2018-08-18 05:59:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 9,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8151496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hhike/pseuds/hhike
Summary: Single, disconnected, very short scenes featuring our favourite bunny and fox. Perfect for your coffee break. Shoutout to http://archiveofourown.org/users/carlwilkersonwrites/pseuds/carlwilkersonwrites for showing me how well this format can work.





	1. Swing Life Away

**Author's Note:**

> Consider this my apology for Take This Waltz.

They stumble out of the bar, supporting each other, and trying to move in a straight line towards the bus stop -- and failing miserably. So Nick makes the best of it, he always does, and steps in front of Judy and twirls her around in the process then hugs her close to his chest. 

" _Oof_ " she says, as she lands into his embrace. 

"Yes, well, I agree, Miss Hopps, beautiful evening we're having. Tell me, would you care to dance with my humble self?" Even drunk, his act is perfect. To him, at least. 

"Oh, Mr. Wilde, I'd love to, but there's no music to dance to." 

"Noting I can't solve, madame." 

He's counting under his breath, _one-two-three, one-two-three_ and at once she finds herself swept of the ground, the world is spinning and she's going to fall over. But there are paws holding her tight, orange paws with pawpads, and she's back on the ground swaying to the music. She's perking her ears, because there's suddenly music, but she can't figure out where it comes from. Not that she cares anymore, as his paws pull her close. Then she realizes that the music is humming and that the one humming is her fox. 

She hears it as much as she feels it, that deep rumble in his chest, now that her cheek is pressed up against it. Sometimes he is off key, sometimes he skips a beat or two, but this is the most beautiful song her ears have ever heard. 


	2. Massacre

Judy was cornered. The fox was closing the distance between them, tossing her sisters and brothers aside with wide sweeps of his paw. As he drew closer, Judy could see the hunger in his eyes. The way he bared his teeth, the way his fur stood on ends, all of it spoke of a savage predator. 

Esther, one of Judy's littermates decided to try and protect her by getting between her and the fox. It was all in vain though, as he snapped his teeth over her neck and threw her against the wall, just a meter from Judy. Her heart sank as the last of the distance between her and the fox vanished. He put one huge paw onto her chest, pinning her down and leaned into her neck. Instead of biting, he nuzzled her neck and licked her muzzle once, then flopped down next to her on the bed. 

"Carrots, you really should find a better place for all these plush bunnies. They're taking up all my space." 

"But I can't sleep in a bed alone. You know, I used to sleep with my siblings, and I got used to that." 

The fox embraced her and curled his whole body around his rabbit. "That's why I'm here, dear." 

Judy let out a hearty yawn, then burrowed herself into Nick's fur. "Better than nothing, I guess." She pulled his arm around herself, hugged it, and closed her eyes. "Good night, my love." 

"Goodnight my dumb bunny." 


	3. Second love

Nick could never have imagined that he would love another mammal as much as he loved Judy. Still, here he is, amazed by this fox. By the spring in her step, and the sparkle in her hazel eyes. And her laugh. He considered himself a connoisseur of music, but no tune could ever be as beautiful to him as her laughter. She's running through the tall grass, pouncing on butterflies, looking back over her shoulder from time to time to make sure Nick is still around. She leaps again, trying to catch a purple butterfly, but misses her mark and lands with a solid _thud_. 

"She's about as graceful as you are, Slick." His bunny manages to surprise him as she walks up next to him. 

"Good thing her mom is a Hopps, then. Maybe you can teach her how it's done? I'm sure you have lots of first-hand experience with foxes pouncing." 

"That I do." She gives him a quick wink, and turns towards the kit in the grass. "Lily, it's time to head home!" 

"But mooom, --" 

"Don't _but mom_ me, young lady, we need to head home because your dad and I have the early shift. Come on now, we'll come back tomorrow." 

Lily pouts. She knows well that there is at least one mammal around who can't resist her. "But daaaad, I was just about to catch one!" 

"Alright, little hunter, five more minutes." 

He doesn't even get to finish the sentence, and she's off into the grass again. His bunny is fuming next to him, but he just puts an arm around her waist. 

"Why do you always get to be the cool parent?" 

"Because I know you love watching her as much as I do." 

"But we're gonna be late tomorrow." 

"I know." 

"Bogo's gonna eat us alive." 

"But it's worth it." 

The rabbit nestles into his embrace, still watching their kit. "Every moment of it." 


	4. Wilde I

The air is chilly this time of the morning, even so close to savannah central. Droplets of water are still condensed on the rusty metal parts of the scaffolding. The side of the hangar is a contortion of pipes, plates, ladders and walkways that would make Escher blush. Still, the fox navigates the landscape with the agility of a ferret, and Judy has a hard time keeping up. 

Sometimes, the platforms creak when he steps onto them, but Nick is unfazed, he doesn't even flinch when the pipe he is standing on seems to break off and give way. He keeps his balance, using his tail to counter the swaying motions of the scaffolding. Each time he climbs a few meters, he looks back over his shoulder to see his gray bunny hopping from step to step. 

"Nick?" 

"Hm?" 

"This better be worth it. I haven't had to do that much climbing since the Academy." 

He grunts as he pulls himself up on a thick metal bar. "Ooh, Ms. Top-of-her-class isn't so fit anymore, is that it?" He's reaching down from the platform to help her up, but she swats his paw away, takes a tiny step back and lands next to him after a miraculous hop. She huffs and starts walking confidently along the platform but her confidence wanes as she reaches the end. Nick's already wearing that smug smile by the time she turns back. 

"Can't bear to leave me behind, can you? Aww, you _do_ love me." He takes a careful step backwards as she tries to punch him in the shoulder, then grabs onto a rusty fire escape just above his head. 

Finally, they both emerge from a hatch on the rooftop and Judy instantly stops pouting. _This always works._ Nick takes in the familiar view: the Zootopian skyline in all its glory, still clad in darkness. He walks up next to his awe-struck bunny, gently puts her jaw back into place and puts an arm around her. 

"Our timing is perfect, Fluff. You'll see why the climb is worth it in three, two, two-and-a-half.." 

It takes a little longer than he anticipated, but the result is all the same. The sun slowly emerges from behind the mountains, and the first rays hit the rooftop. The city lights go out one by one, until only a black silhouette remains in front of them with gleaming orange edges. For the first time, Nick didn't bother looking at the horizon, because now he can just admire how the color of her fur goes from ashen grey to gold in the sunlight. 

"So, was it worth it?" 

She doesn't say a word, just wraps her arms around Nick's waist without ever looking away from Zootopia. 


	5. Wilde II

"Why didn't you tell me of this place before?" 

"Mere mortal bunnies instantly die upon laying their eyes upon such beauty. Only those kissed by a fox can experience a sunset from the top of Wilde Times." _No._ He most definitely shouldn't have said that. 

"Wild times? Huh?" 

"You know, it was quite a dangerous and wild way up here." It sounds good. He really hopes his ear isn't twitching. It probably isn't, he's good at this. 

"Nick, you know I can tell when you're lying." 

He lets out a long sigh and starts walking towards a familiar pile of rubble. No point arguing with the bunny, she always gets what she wants. So he starts digging through the pile, and finally turns back to Judy holding a metal sign with the letters "Wlde imes" scrawled on it. 

"Wilde Times. Name of this place. Or, at least, it would have been. Family business." 

"I thought you only dealt in pawpsicles." 

"Not _my_ business, I didn't say that. It was part of dad's grand plan. Used to take me here to help with the construction. At least I got _something_ from him." He throws the rusty sign back onto the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust around him, and settles back next to her. 

"You never told me about him." 

"No, I didn't." 

Their silence is only broken by the first sounds of the city: the faint static of engines, the occasional siren that makes her ears rotate instinctively, the rush of the Rainforest District's morning monsoon. 

"And then he has the nerve to ask me to meet him." He's still staring into the distance, letting the gentle breeze ride through his fur. 

"Did you?" 

"Why would I?" His voice is flat, his face is blank, he thinks he's doing great. Judy has been with him long enough though that she pick up on how he slumps his shoulders just a little bit, curls his tail closer around himself and starts fiddling with his claws. But he brought it up, she knows he wants to talk. 

"You know.. he's your father after all." 

"And? Why should that mean anything? He left us. He abandoned us. That's' when he stopped being my father." He shudders, and she's already reaching out to comfort her fox, but after closing his eyes a bit longer than a standard blink, he lashes out at the void before him. "All his _plans_ were so important to him. He just forgot that he had a wife and a son. 'Wilde Times is going to be a hit, you'll see, I just need to work on it for a while' he said. So he went to work on it, and the next time we saw him was when he handed mum the divorce papers. He was working on something alright, but it wasn't _Wilde Times_ ". He's smiling at his own joke, but the smile doesn't reach his eyes. 

"Nick, it's not your fault." 

"Thanks, but I've figured that out a while ago." 

"What's bothering you then?" She scoots closer to him, so his tail is curling around her, enveloping her in warmth and the scent of her fox. 

"Apart from you sitting dangerously close to the edge? Nothing." 

She doesn't say another word. He's looking off into the distance, his grip tightening around her ever so slightly. She lets her ears droop, making sure that one lands on his shoulders. Nick needs time now, she knows, he needs time to slip out of the mask. An eternity later, he breaks the silence. 

"I'm just unsure." 

"About what?" 

"About Lily." 

"Don't worry, your mom's not going to eat her alive." She receives a playful nibble on her ear in response to this, but she doesn't budge from her fox. 

"Not what I mean, you dumb bunny. I.. Are we doing this whole parenting thing right? I don't want to have her end up like me. The only example I had was John. How am I supposed to know if I'm a good father or not?" 

At this, she finally pulls away, and sadness visits Nick's face for a moment, but only until he sees the warmth in her expression. 

"You're still here, so that's one point for you, Slick." 

He pumps his fists with mocking enthusiasm. "Hooray for Nick Wilde, best father of the world, because he hasn't bailed on his family. I'm starting to feel real proud." 

"Come on, Nick. You think I know any more about all this than you? I got a reeeal lot of attention being the miss two hundred thirty-seven." She nestles back into Nick's embrace. "But we'll figure things out, okay? We're in this together." 

"Yeah. Together." She could swear that he's tearing up, but before she can take a closer look he plants a quick kiss on her muzzle, then turns around and hops down onto the roof. "Let's head back, fluff, before Ma drags Lily off to church again." 

"Good point, though I think Lily had a lot of fun debating evolution with the pastor last time." 

"She sure takes after her mother." With that, he sweeps her off her feet and starts walking down the stairs in the back of the building. It takes her a moment. 

"Heeey! Why did we have to climb if there are stairs?" 

"Where's the fun in taking the stairs? It's called a hustle, my dear Carrot." 


	6. Autumn

Early autumn was always kind to Nick. On those misty mornings, where the early rays of the sun still managed to break through the October gloom he always took the longer route to the precinct. The one that passed by Crescent Park, so he could take his time enjoying the scent of dry leaves, fresh grass and the lingering smell of rain. 

There was another scent, though, that Nick tended to enjoy these days, and that one wasn't to be found in Crescent Park. It was the one he always caught when he opened the door to his apartment. That overwhelming smell of rabbit always had the same effect on him,even after all these years. Throwing his jacket onto the chair next to the door he made a beeline for the couch in the living room. Before his bunny could say a word, he flopped onto the couch and buried his nose in the silky fur of Judy's dewlap. 

"Well aren't you a bit forward today, Mr. Wilde." she cooed as she placed her paws on the small of his back. 

"Mrm-hmf." 

"Yes, you dumb fox, I love you too." 


	7. Covers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And hhike emerges from the darkness! We'll see if it lasts.
> 
> Recommended listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd2eBJSTuM8

"Nick, are you sure about this?" 

"Aww, is the fearless Judy Hopps scared?" 

Judy _is_ a tiny bit scared. This is not at all what she hoped for when she let Nick choose the place for their next date. _The Frozen Hedgehog_ is every bit as welcoming as its name implies. The walls are covered with graffiti, a few of the windows are boarded up, and Judy could swear the whole building was leaning to one side. 

"Trust me on this one, Fluff." Without hesitation, Nick grabs her paws and leads her towards the rusty iron door. 

The _Hedgehog_ doesn't work hard to make a better impression with its interior. The room is dark, the only light being the neon signs above the bar and the candles on the tables. The floor is sticky, and the wallpaper is crumbling on everywhere. And the drinks Nick gets for them smell like you could kill a mammal with them. Their taste confirms her suspicions. 

"Nick, why are we here?" 

"Officer, you wound me. Have you already forgotten that we're on a date?" 

"I'm starting to question why we're on a date, now that you mention it. But I asked why we are _here_." She tries hard, but she can't suppress the frown as she says this. 

"Just wait and see, sweetheart. Trust me." 

"Nick, if this turns out like that time with -- " she's cut off by a low hum coming from the stage - or at least a small patch on the floor with a mic and two speakers. A tall, slender vixen is holding the microphone now and starts humming a mesmerizing tone. The black dress she's wearing complements her form, her eyelashes are longer than Judy's whiskers and every little movement of hers radiates femininity that leaves even Judy in awe. 

"Oh _now_ I see why we're here." 

"Wh- huh? Oh, Katie? No, she's just doing a sound check." 

And as if on cue, the vixen walks off into the darkness next to the stage, only for a cream-colored ferret to scurry up onto the stool behind the mic. She takes a deep breath and at once, her voice fills the room. What she lacks in beauty and finesse, she makes up with power and grit. She puts her whole body into the song, leaning against the microphone stand, balling her free paw into a fist and falling onto her knees at one point. And none of it is overdone. Every note, every verse, every glance into the audience tells a story. The _Hedgehog_ feels like a different place now. 

* * *

Judy doesn't care about being forward, and it's their fourth date anyway, so she nestles into Nick's winter coat on the way back to Tundratown Central without hesitation. 

"So fluff, am I getting a fifth date?" 

"Maybe. You could have told me earlier that we would be listening to the best voice in Zootopia." 

"I could have, true. But would you have agreed to come to a rundown Tundratown bar with a shady ex-hustler?" 

"Of course!" It only takes a few seconds of Nick's silence for her to crack. "Okay, maybe not." 

"See? That's why I didn't tell you in advance. There's so much in Zootopia to see, but you have to learn not to judge anything by its covers." 

"I know, I know, but I'm just a farm bunny who came to the big city. I'll need someone to help me get to know it." 

"I might know a fox who could help you out with that. I heard he knows everyone in the city, but charges some hefty hourly rate." 

She takes a quick step to get in front of Nick, stands on her tiptoes and gives her fox a long, tender kiss. "Is that going to be enough, Mr. Fox?" 

"Let me check with my advisor, I'm sure we'll figure out something." 


	8. Size Matters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And hhike comes out of the woodwork!
> 
> I wish all my dear fans (all three of you) very happy festivities!
> 
> If anyone is still waiting for It's Late to update, don't fear, I've got ideas now!
> 
> Recommended listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4HRkPT7Dvw

Judy shifted under the blankets in the darkness of their room, her paws tracing the lean body of the fox lying next to her. 

"Nick, don't push it, this is not going to work, I'm sorry." 

He turned around to face her, his muzzle so close to her that she could feel his breath on her whiskers. 

"Really, Carrots? I didn't know you gave up this easily." 

Judy had a hard time deciding whether he was still teasing her or if it was genuine sadness she heard in his voice. So she planted a tender kiss on his forehead, making sure to rub her chin all along his muzzle in the process. 

"I love you. But we have to face this, it's just a matter of biology." She gestured toward the tiny space between them with her paws. "You're a fox, and I'm a bunny -- " 

"And a _very_ pretty one at that." Nick interjected, surprising her with a gentle nibble at the base of her ear. 

" _Ack --_ don't interrupt my monologue. It just doesn't make sense, there's an obvious difference of size here, and --" 

This time, he just put a finger on her muzzle and started caressing the small of her back. 

"I know, Fluff, I know. Just hear me out, I have one argument still." Nick leaned close to her ears once again and whispered just one word. " _Please?_ " 

Luckily, Judy was a determined rabbit. No amount of pouting and pleading was going to convince _her_. Nick could try as he might, this rabbit wasn't going to give in. No way. 

"Okay, fine, you get to be the little spoon tonight." Well, maybe she wasn't as determined as she thought. 

Nick turned his back on her with almost childlike glee and dragged the duvet onto the two of them, hiding his wagging tail underneath. Judy reluctantly pulled closer to her fox and buried her paws in his fur. 

"Dumb fox." She said before nestling her muzzle between Nick's ears. 

"Love you too, Judy." 


	9. Reprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a thing. It's sort of a sequel to Take This Waltz.

The champagne definitely got better. Since Knight took over, they really went over-the-top with the catering. But the real reason Skye loves the gala has nothing to do with the champagne. It's not even the looks he gets from all the married foxes when he passes by them. It's how every female mammal turns her head after the fox walking on her side. The years have been kind to her husband. He still has the build his police years gave him, his suit perfectly accentuating his form, and he wears it with as much pride as he does the grey streaks in his fur. 

"Nick! Skye! There you are!" She hears the familiar voice from somewhere in the crowd, and soon enough, she spots the ears with black patches on the tips. Nick's already smiling, and he mockingly bows when Judy finally arrives. "Your honour." He says, which earns him a quick punch to the arm. 

Skye begins the sparring this time. "Oh my, Judy, you clean up so nicely." She's not even lying, the rabbit _does _look stunning in the black dress, a little bit too much for Skye's taste.__

"Stop it, you, you're flattering me." Judy slips perfectly into the role, Nick sure has taught her his ways. "And look at you! All that dieting is finally starting to pay off! Just hang in there and soon you'll be done." 

Skye grins at her. She bares her canines in the process, more out of habit than anything else. The years where she considered the rabbit a rival are long gone, but the sparring stayed around. She's amused by how Nick still takes them seriously. 

"Hey, hey, ladies, we just got here, no need to murder each other right away." He says, positioning himself - intentionally or not, she doesn't know - between the two of them. 

Skye has no plans to murder anyone. She knows that these two need some time, and as long as he finds his way back to her by the end of the night, she doesn't mind. And he always does. 

"Don't worry, Red, I'm not the one here with a taste for bunny. I have to leave you two be anyway. I have a fortune to charm out of Knight for the foundation." He reaches for her hand, but she's already walking towards the buffet to find her client. So Nick grabs Judy's paw and drags her onto the dancefloor, and starts counting in his head. She still has no sense of rhythm, so while he leads he looks at her and flicks his ear a tiny bit at the beginning of each bar. Or maybe he does it because he can stare at her without it being awkward this way. 

* * *

"You've been coming to this gala for twenty years, Fluff, and you still can't dance for the life of you. You nearly killed that Hippo." The cold air stings his skin as they walk out onto the balcony overlooking the courtyard. So he pulls her close because she must be freezing in that blazer. "So your honour, did you make the world a better place since the last time we met?" He asks, with only a little bit of mockery in his voice. 

"Working on it. The Ballmer case is a huge one, you can't imagine how grateful I am that you managed to expose him." She nestles a bit closer to him. She probably thinks he doesn't notice, but he always does. Probably comes with the job. 

"See? Told you the ZPD won't be enough here. Sometimes it takes a crafty fox with a camera and some sly methods of gathering information to get things done. Don't look at me like that, they are _perfectly legal_ methods, I swear on my scout's honour." Her laugh reverberates through his ribcage and he enjoys the moment, looking over the people and the city down below. 

"So how are the kids doing nowadays?" 

"Oh, they're not taking after me, luckily. John finally got his business going. In fact, the suit I'm wearing right now was made by him. I know I look stunning in it, I'll spare you the breath." 

She walks closer and runs her paw around the seams of his jacket, and he can tell by her smile that she likes what she's seeing. "Well the _suit_ sure is stunning." She says, winking and leaning back against the railing. 

"You wound me with your words, you fierce rabbit. Please have mercy on this poor fox." She laughs at this again, and they fall into a comfortable silence. 

"The divorce is finalised at last." She says, out of nowhere. 

"Good riddance. That prick was the worst of them all so far." 

"Yeah." Her voice is trailing off, she's staring into the distance and Nick feels an anger rising in him, but he doesn't _quite_ know why. 

"Dammit Fluff, don't get all mopey on me now. You're supposed to be celebrating!" 

"I know, I know. It's just-- maybe I shouldn't have been so harsh on him?" 

"He cheated on you. Repeatedly." He has to fight very hard not to growl, but he doesn't want the attention that would come with that. 

"He did, but I was practically never there for him. Always another case to do. He wasn't that bad, you know, and I'm not getting any younger" 

"Okay, let me stop you _right_ there, alright? He knew what he was in for when he married you, and he still ended up in some other doe's bed. This one's on him, like it or not. Besides, now you're free again, and what are you, forty --" "forty-two" " -- as I said, barely thirty-five, and there's plenty of bucks out there. Just gotta keep looking." 

She smiles, but he doesn't know this smile of hers. This is the one he used to have. "Thanks, Nick. But I'm starting to realise that maybe being with someone is.. not meant for me. It's just the way it is, I'll get over it. I never dreamt of the white hare jumping in to save me from the dragon anyway." He takes a breath to protest and console the bunny, but she cuts her off. "I had one chance to be with the mammal that was meant for me and I managed to mess that up. That ship has sailed long ago, and there won't be another like it." 

He didn't notice when he had let her go. Now his just standing there like a dumb teenager after their first breakup. It only lasts a moment, the mask slips back so no one can see his shattered self. She'll hear it in his voice, though. He doesn't mind. "Yeah. We messed that up." He says as he rests his elbows on the railing and fishes out a lighter from the pocket of his jacket. This time, the silence isn't as comfortable. They stand there, the breeze gone now, but the air somehow still feels colder. Maybe it's the time gone by, it's almost midnight. Or maybe it's the question that lingers there, between the two of them, that both of them want to ask but both of them know better than to do so. 

_Would it work now?_

* * *

As soon as they're back to the dancefloor, he starts leading and to her credit, Judy finally manages to take a few right steps -- occasionally. Still, this gives him more time to look at her, more time to settle into the rhythm and forget about everything else. He's not sure, he might have seen Skye and Knight in the crowd, but they don't matter now. Nothing does, not even her divorce, not even their mistakes, it's this four minutes each year when it's only them. 

With a step, she gets a little bit closer than is courteous, her paw on his arm slides subtly a bit higher and her ears perk as they move around the other couples. For a moment, the world around them crumbles. It's simple now. Everything is easy, they're not the judge and the journalist anymore, they're just a sly fox and a dumb bunny, being not what they became but what they could have been. For another moment., they're meant for each other. 

It only lasts for a few bars, and she's back to normal again, but she's smiling, and he thinks he might be too. The pain is still there, it never bothered to go away. Yet now instead of making them snap and scream at each other and cry, it just makes the bow he gives her at the end a bit deeper and a bit more graceful. And it makes sure her smile is genuine when she sees Skye walk up next to Nick and put and arm around his waist. 

"Sorry to interrupt, but we ought to get going, Red. Lily's recital is tomorrow morning, and she would never forgive us if we overslept." 

"Oh, I understand." Judy says. "Take care, you two, I think I'll stick around a bit, see what the night has in store for me. Same time same place next year?" 

"It's a date, Fluff." He says, and Judy sees Skye's tail giving the hint of a twitch at _Fluff_. 

"Take care you two." She says as she gives them both a quick hug. 

"You too, Judy." 

His smile still makes her knees tremble. So she turns and starts walking into the crowd, looking back towards the leaving couple once she's sure the tears are gone. "I will, don't worry. And now get out of here, I need to catch myself a good-looking buck." She winks once, and vanishes among the people before he can tell she's lying. 


	10. Crescendo I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to be a longer chapter but life just broke down the front door to my apartment. So here is the first part, and I'll see when I can get the second one online.

That rabbit is so _gullible_. Nick had been thinking about coming up with a new hustle, but he convinced Finnick to slip into the elephant costume for old time's sake. And then _she_ hops around, and falls for their act, even though Nick is sure that at one point Finnick's ear slipped out from under the costume. Though, judging by the fox repellent on her belt, the bunny wouldn't be able to tell a fennec from a red fox anyway. Still, something about this rabbit catches his attention, but he chalks it up to having made an extra five bucks thanks to her. 

She is so _annoying_. Nick was very diligent about getting his permits, but taxes were never something he paid attention to. Without a fixed address, it's not like the authorities could find him, and no one bothered about small fish like him anyway. Except for Officer Judy Hopps, with that goddamn sly grin on her face. And she _had_ to crack that joke, so now Nick is picturing her multiplying and he can't even come up with a retort when she presses play on that carrot pen. So he decides to make her wish she had never set foot in Zootopia. 

Why was she so _stubborn?_ Here they were, after riding for half an hour squeezed between two polar bears to meet the most dangerous mammal in Zootopia, and she _threatened_ him without so much as flinching. On a usual day, Nick might even have admired her courage. This day, however, was not a usual one. This day, they were being dangled over Mr. Big's icy cellar, so Nick's thoughts ran more along the lines of _this rabbit will be the death of me._ And _then_ she went on to become the godmother of Mr. Big's grandchild. Not in Zootopia for two days, and already an integral part of the mafia. Figures. 

How can a mammal be so _kind_? After he spent days trying to make her life miserable and hindering her investigation at every possible turn, she still has that look in her eyes. Yes, he did just stand up for her to a water buffalo thrice his size, but none of it matters anyway. Any decent mammal would have done the same, and he only did it because she just saved his life. And now she was standing next to him. He was disturbed by how close she was standing, and by how it didn't bother him as much as it should. And he looked at him the way no mammal has since his mother. She saw more than just a fox. He fought so hard to build all those walls, and he felt like she saw right past them. 

Nick couldn't understand how so much _cruelty_ fit in such a fragile creature. As he stood there to the side of the podium and listened to her talk, he felt a new muzzle tightening around his maw. He was ten years old again. _Of course no one would trust a fox._ _It's in their DNA, their ancient ways._ She can't mean it, can she? He crumpled the application form he so carefully filled out moments before as his paws clenched into fists. He knew he shouldn't have trusted her. She seemed different. Yes, she had fox repellent, but he chalked it up to her being a naive little bunny from the countryside. That was a mistake. Here he stood now, betrayed again, but for the last time. By the time he left the precinct he had already dialled Finnick's number. He'll need a good beer, or a hustle, maybe a bit of both now. 

This rabbit was so _emotional_. Nick tried his hardest to stay angry at Judy, but she made it so difficult for him. She apologised, she learned from her mistake - a genuine mistake - and came back to find him. Him, Nicholas P. Wilde. After she had given up everything - he knew she did, he had been listening to the rumours - she came back to apologise to _him_. So when she followed him out from under that bridge and proclaimed herself a dumb bunny fighting her tears, he hugged her close. She was so fragile and emotional, he couldn't risk her seeing his own tears. Judy Hopps came back for him, and finally, he felt not like a shady fox, but like Nick Wilde again. 


	11. Crescendo II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Until the end of days.

Nick had called her dumb more times than he could count on his fingers - including toes - but it turned out her wit is as quick as his. Even while running on nothing but adrenaline after nearly dying thrice in a high-speed train chase, she realised Bellwether couldn't have known they were in the museum. And when the blueberries went rolling, she knew from one glance what Nick had in mind. And her acting? Incredible. Nick made a mental note while biting down on her neck to ask her sometime where she learned to play scared. Maybe she wasn't acting though. Nick might have gotten a bit too much out of their farce. Even with his tail on the line, he took a second to savour Judy's scent when his muzzle got so close to her chin. For a moment, he contemplated not letting go and just letting Bellwether do her thing and plunge the city into chaos, just so he could stay with this rabbit. _No_ , his conscience said, _that's not the right thing to do._ His instincts responded to this by giving his conscience a very rude gesture. Finally, a few synapses in his brain resumed normal operations and he realised that he didn't have to leave Judy behind once this was all over. So Nick let go, she played dead, and Bellwether got arrested. 

She was the most determined bunny he has ever known. The graduation ceremony was long and troublesome, with formalities and speeches and scorching sun. Nick could barely stand by the second hour, but her ears were straight and her face bright as she waited to make her speech. When she finally got the stage, Nick somehow still expected to see the same rabbit that he saw at the press conference. Scared to death, rambling on about nonsense. But this bunny was someone different, Nick was sure about that. Instead of starting another race war, Judy spoke about how they should value the differences. How it's exactly it's diversity that makes Zootopia great. She wasn't the naive bunny he had gotten to know anymore. She knew that things weren't simple, and Zootopia isn't all love and Kumbaya, but she was determined. She made it her mission - and by extension, his mission, too - to make this place better for everyone. 

There were a lot of things Nick loved about this bunny, her boundless optimism and confidence one of them. See, when they would flirt after getting a well-deserved coffee, Nick would do his usual bravado, the idea being that if he's ridiculous enough, he can back out when - when, not if - things go pear-shaped. And like clockwork, Judy would just laugh it off, and tap him on the nose or punch him in the arm and everything would go on like it always did. When she inquired about how the new blueberry spice latte tasted, he just leant in close and told her to try it for herself. This time, for the briefest of moments, he saw that determined look on her face that she gets when she decides something. It only lasted for a moment before Nick found a pair of bunny lips on his muzzle. And as quickly as it came, the moment was gone and she was lamenting the lack of sugar in his coffee. 

She was the most beautiful mammal in the world. Yes, maybe Gazelle had wider hips, and Skye's fur shined brighter, but Nick didn't care. There she was, standing in front of him, in spite of the protestors in front of the town hall. In spite of her grandparents threatening to disown her. In spite of all the tabloids shouting about how wrong they were about this. He had a hard time deciding whether it was the dress or her smile that made her more beautiful. When she spoke, the decision became meaningless, because these words she uttered were beyond anything Nick had ever experienced. 

"I, Judith Laverne Hopps, take you, Nicholas Piberius Wilde, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honour you all the days of my life." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I am hopeless. I hope you people hate me a little less now.


	12. Project

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not good at long stories, have a short one instead.
> 
> Recommended listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT-SFgkVlno

The sun is shining, but the rays are too weak to warm up the other side of the bed. Her morning routine is thrown off because of the missing cuddles, so now she's sitting idly on the side of the bed, half awake, half still reliving yesternight's last leg. Their apartment is so quiet without his endless stream of complaints about the morning shift, even as the teapot starts whistling. No fox, no coffee. No banter. She should have gotten used to it by now, it's not the first time and it won't be the last. She polishes her badge before heading out.

_Pick you up somewhere?_

She texts him, extending a paw but not expecting a reply. Traffic is non-existent at this hour, the city is still sleeping, apart from the occasional bakery and the non-stop BugBurger. This is a different city than what she first saw from the train, but it's hers now. It hasn't changed much, but that's not something that's going to stop Judy Hopps.

He's already in the bullpen when she arrives. He must have slept at Wolford's. He's still Nick Wilde, so nothing shows, his smile is wide, his posture relaxed, and the way he ignores her gaze almost seems natural. Sharing a chair with him is like sitting on thorns, yet he doesn't flinch.

Patrol in the Outer Docklands it is. Locked all day in a car.

"I'll wait for you in the cruiser."

"Nick -- " she begins, but he's already around the corner.

There are dashcams in the car, and they both know it. Talking things out is out of the question; not like it would be an option with Nick anyway. She tests the water from time to time. He's adept at making her feel terrible without being hostile. Always the same track, steering every conversation into a dead end with the occasional jab. But at times he starts something up. She still doesn't know, not even after all this time, what's going on in his head at times like this. He asks her to get some lunch while he waits in the car. She gets him the usual.

She only asked about his mother, this time. He never talked about his family, and she felt awkward when her mom asked her about them, so she pried a bit with Nick. He seemed reluctant, but that wasn't anything new. She pressed, maybe a little too hard. How this got to the point where he shouted about not being a _project_ of hers, she can't really remember. Maybe she shouldn't have told him she didn't know him after a year of living together. But that couldn't have been the trigger, she was upset by then.

"I found an apartment near Silverbark."

She needs a few seconds to process what he just said. It takes all her presence to not veer into a lamppost when she does.

"Nick, it was just a stupid question."

"I'll be dropping by for some stuff tomorrow if it's okay with you."

"No, it's not okay, why would you do that? Nick, we need to talk about -- "

"Talking is what got us here. Eyes on the road, Carrots."

She fighting tears for the rest of the shift. He waits for her this time, just outside at the garage. She wants to _say_ so many things but all she does is hug him. There's a paw on her back now.

"Tell me you were kidding."

"I wasn't, Judy, I'm sorry." The smooth velvet that is his voice is in a stark contrast with what he's saying. 

"When are you coming home?"

"I don't know."

"Nick, if you _dare_ say 'It's not you, it's me' then I swear I am going to kill you right here." She might be sobbing.

"Then I won't say it. You know how you said I needed to face my emotions more often, hm? I'm going to do that now."

Neither of them wants to move, or at least, that's what she feels. There are so many things she wants to say, but there's only one she can.

"Nick, when are you coming home?"

"I don't know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry. Blame Clapton and Winwood.


	13. It's a comfort thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What does the fox say after a twenty-hour shift?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to find out whether my writing muscles are still there.
> 
> Credit to Aseka for the inspiration.

There are days when even Judy Hopps starts running low on energy. After having to cover for Delgato -- the bastard, why did he have to call in sick on _her_ shift --, Judy has trouble walking up the stairs to her apartment, so she clings onto Nick for support. Not that it helps much. Nick is in even worse shape, the triple-shot coffee having worn off a while ago. That is, for Nick. Judy never quite got the appeal of coffee, nor did she need it like so many other mammals. Towards the end of a twenty-hour shift, she was grasping at straws, so she agreed to share on with Nick. I didn't help much in terms of being alert, but the shaking hasn't stopped since. It takes at least three tries to get the key into the hole and stumble through the threshold.

By now, Nick moves confidently in her apartment. He tosses his belongings onto the nightstand without even looking and makes a beeline for the window. Her bed does have a very strong pull as he passes by, but sunrise is just an hour away and he's going to hate himself if he doesn't close the blinds now. He doesn't bother much with folding his clothes, the good old "pile next to the bed" method will have to do for now.

"Nick, wait. Let's.. let's do something, I don't think I can sleep right now." 

Her voice sounds sleepy, her ears are floppy and she's already in her pajamas, but her foot goes a mile a minute, and Nick is sure the downstairs neighbors can only take so much percussion at the crack of dawn. He needs to do _something_. Mustering the last of his strength, he lifts his bunny and kisses her softly as soon as her muzzle is on the same level as his. As he brushes his cheek against hers, he can feel her loosen up a little bit already. Swiftly getting her into a horizontal position also helps, but her nose is still twitching. Only when he lies down next to her and envelopes the two of them with his tail does it stop.

It only takes a couple of heartbeats -- his, not hers -- until they nestle into the usual position. He's lying on his back, her head in the crook of his neck, one paw buried in the cream colored fur on his chest. Until now, Nick didn't realize how tense _he_ was, but as he listens to her breathing he feels like a weight is being slowly lifted from his chest. The room around them is being filled up with the damp air of the summer morning from outside, mixing with the scent of bunny, and as his bunny absentmindedly starts scratching the base of his ear, Nick gets as close to total bliss as one can without substance abuse.

"Nick." Judy shifts around to prop herself up onto her elbows.

"C'mon Carrots, I was _this_ close to falling asleep." He mumbles.

"Nick. Did you just... _purr_?" That is enough to snap him back into the shoebox she calls an apartment.

"Of course not! Sleep deprivation isn't doing you any favors, Judy. Go back to sleep, okay?"

Maybe he was too tired to be convincing, or maybe she just knows him too well, but it's apparent that she's not. _Now_ she's awake and her ears are perked up, as if listening for some predator - which is, incidentally, exactly what she's doing. After a second though, she nestles back into her previous position, and Nick lets out a sigh of relief. She goes right back to what she was doing, as does Nick, even though the way her tail twitches from time to time is unusual. But he's just a sleepy fox now, and her paws are magic.

"I _knew_ it. You _are_ purring, aren't you?" She is only inches away from his muzzle, so he instinctively pecks her on the cheek before answering.

"I.. maybe?"

"And you were doing that before, right?"

"I think so."

She takes a moment to process this, but her muzzle curls into a smile in the meantime.

"I didn't know foxes did that."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about foxes."

His smugness falls flat, he blames the lack of sleep.

"Nick."

"Yes, okay, we purr, it's a thing, I'm not proud of it, are you happy now?" He can feel his ears turning red inside.

"And why are you so embarrassed about it?"

"Because it's not a thing foxes should do! Think of purring, what do you think of? Felines, yes. A cougar, maybe. But I'm a fox, I'm not supposed to do that."

"And I'm a rabbit lying on top of a fox."

"What do you want to say with that?"

"That I don't care what we're _supposed_ to do, Nick." She kisses him for emphasis. He can kind of see her point now. "And I love it."

"You do?"

"It's very.. soothing. Does it work the same way as with felines?"

She's back in her usual spot by the time he answers.

"It is, mostly. It's a comfort thing, and I usually try not to do it, but it seems this shift hasn't done me any favors."

"A comfort thing, huh? Like... this?" Her blunt claws are running across his chest fur now, and yes, it is a comfort thing exactly like _this_. This time, he's aware he's purring, but she just nestles deeper into his neck fur and lets one of her ears lie flat on his chest, so the last of his self-consciousness evaporates. Now he just has to figure out how to make his bunny as comfortable as he is now. That, however, will be a challenge for tomorrow. Yes. Tomorrow is good. For now, he's going to enjoy the comfort and the scent of bunny. Nothing is going to ruin his well-deserved rest now.

* * *

"Carrots?"

"Whuh?"

"You're lying on my arm. I can't feel a thing."

"Sowwy."

It would take another thirty minutes and a lot of careful repositioning until Nick regained his arm. He would swear never to sleep in this arrangement again. And he would do it the next evening anyway because he wants to have his bunny close. Losing an arm would be a small price to pay.


	14. Late

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration is a weird thing. Enjoy!

Being a police officer with strict shifts and more overtime than Nick can count on two paws, they have to schedule everything down to the minute. She knows they're going to be late when that second red light catches them. The municipality closes at five _sharp_ , and they have exactly two minutes until then. She doesn't even wait for the cruiser to roll to a complete stop before leaping out the passenger side with all the documents pre-filled in her hand. He takes a moment to appreciate the sight of her ears flailing around as she makes a beeline for the entrance before looking for a parking space.  
Not even a minute passes before she's out of the building, papers still in hand. She's still panting when she slams the door shut behind her.

"It was the grumpy timber wolf." she sighs. "Next appointment is in two weeks."

They already had bad luck once. Nick let it slide then; after all this was just a formality. But he's been waiting long enough, and _no one_ is grumpy with his bunny. So he does what he knew best. He adjusts the rearview mirror so he can set his jumbled whiskers straight and unbuttons the top button of his uniform. A tiny bit of his cream chest fur catches Judy's eye when he takes the documents from her paw.

"Let's try this again, shall we?"

Inside the building, in waiting hall adorned with outdated announcements and false hope, he walks up to the counter where a middle-aged timber wolf is packing her belongings into her briefcase. As she turns to face the intruders, Judy can see the same scowl form on her muzzle that she had reserved for mammals who were late. That is, until her gaze meets Nick's.

Until now, Judy wasn't sure why Nick thought the second time is going to work. Now, as he's standing there, leaning against the counter, his tail swishing ever so slightly, his voice smooth velvet, she realized what his angle was.

"... so I was wondering, if me and my partner could have these documents still signed somehow today? Surely someone as resourceful as yourself, Miss.. " "Myers. But please, call me Josephine." ".. someone as resourceful as you Josephine, would know of a way to sneak this into today's batch?"

Judy can see the wolf practically melt into a puddle as Nick punctuates his last sentence with a mischievous wink towards the clerk. She mumbles something about regulations and being timely as she scribbles a few things onto their documents and slips them into a pile sitting on a shelf behind her.

Once they're out of earshot, she elbows him in the side. "You know, I'm pretty sure so much charm is a criminal offence. I should arrest you here and now."

For a moment, with startling ease he slips back into his hustler persona. "Oh is that so? Perhaps we could reach an.. agreement, officer?"

She covers her face with her already blushing ears and mutters. "I can't believe this still works on me."


	15. Valleys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somehow, someone always finds a way to remind me that I love these two.
> 
> Inspired by the lovely art of Red Velvet Panda. Make sure to check out their tumblr!
> 
> http://red-velvet-panda.tumblr.com/post/175687102903/one-of-my-rare-entries-into-a-prompt-from-a-bit

For a long while, Judy Hopps had convinced herself that she simply isn't the kind of mammal that would fall in love. Yet here she was, brushing the last few strands of fur on her ear over and over, buying a little more time to feast her eyes on her fox doing the same. Just looking at his slick, vulpine figure and lush russet and cream fur made her heart beat a little faster and her ears blush again. 

She had been following the swish of his tail for what seemed like an eternity when Nick bent down a little to reach her bunny-sized faucet when she noticed them. Long, jagged valleys in the thick orange fur on his back, only visible when he bent a certain way. 

"Nick..." she whispered as she slid off the edge of the stool she was sitting. 

Her voice must have given away the concern she felt because for a moment every hair in Nick's tail stood on end. By the time he turned around though he was wearing his trademark grin and was seemingly amused by how embarrassed his bunny still got at the sight of a naked fox. 

"Nick, what are those on your back?" Judy blurted out, knowing the answer long before she said the words. 

"C'mon fluff, no need to be so dramatic. You know I was an old fox, having a few grey hairs at my age is perfectly normal". 

Nick gracefully wrapped his towel around his waist and slid by his bunny, out the door -- or at least, he tried to. Much to his surprise, instead of moving over, Judy wrapped him in a tight embrace, burying her face in his chest. Only after a second did he notice that her fingers were curiously wandering along the scars on his back. 

"Where did you get these?" came the muffled question from the bunny entrenched in his chest fur. 

"Kozlov likes to fight dirty" he replied off the hip. No laugh, no exasperated sigh, no reaction. His bunny just let his lie hang in the air, not loosening her hug. Nick hadn't realized how soft he had gotten until he started speaking. "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was in a pawn shop when some fancy ring they had gone missing." 

While he was speaking, his bunny made every effort to be as close to him as possible. Her gentle paws were still tracing the scars on his back, getting to know the sensitive skin under the coat of patchy fur. 

"The thief must have long been gone, but some badger decided that it must have been the fox. I looked the part, too. Times were worse back then, my clothes were practically rags. So the owner and a couple of his friends dragged me into the alley behind the shop and hit me until they were convinced I was telling the truth the first thirty-five times when I said it wasn't me. And then some." 

"I was there to buy a phone. A damn phone so I could apply to jobs and turn my life around, Judy. I thought I couldn't spend my life squatting on the outskirts of the savanna district. They made sure I stuck to the good old shifty fox routine." Even from a distance of a decade, his voice dripped with hurt and rage. 

Judy must have felt it, because she put his paw on her cheek, right where she still had the remains of the scars that she got from Gideon all those years ago. 

"You're not a shifty fox, Nick. You're a police officer. And I'm not a dumb bunny." She paused for a moment and nestled her face in Nicks paw, letting her ears droop down across his arm and planting a tender kiss on his pawpad. "We're going to show everyone, and they'll have no choice but to come around." 

"Do you really think it's that simple?" 

"Yes, it is. Not easy, just simple. And whenever it gets difficult, I'll be here for you." 

"I think I can work with that." Nick paused for a few more seconds before lifting his ever so strong-willed bunny off her feet and carried her to bed. 


End file.
